Ask the Director |  Meet the Director | Previous "Ask the Director" Columns
 

Ask the Director

This question & answer column provides a community-wide forum for your questions about the library and an opportunity for us to respond.

As our Library Improvements Project is drawing to a close, I most often receive questions regarding the construction.

Yes! We are on target with our projected timeline! Our three-year 2005-2008 multi-phased project has one large milestone to complete this August. We are greatly anticipating the Grand Opening of our new Youth Services department on Tuesday, August 19, 2008. Please join us for this celebration from 5-7pm. Don't forget to bring the kids and the grandchildren!

I am pictured here with Tim Fiscelli, our hard-working Facility Services Department Head. We are standing in the Youth Services space-to-be. Fondly nicknamed the "vanilla box," this space has been used as swing space for our many collections and as our temporary entrance as the various phases evolved.

Comments and suggestions are most welcome with our online form.

Meet the Director

"Our residents expect the best, and our challenge is to deliver." Karen Kotulis-Carter

Karen Kotulis-Carter became Director of the Bloomfield Township Public Library in August of 1997. She had served as Deputy Director of BTPL for ten years prior to this appointment. "My goal as Director is to continue the tradition of excellent service to our community -- to ensure that it keeps growing in the direction our patrons want."

A master's graduate of Wayne State University's School of Library Science, with a bachelor's degree in interior design, Ms. Kotulis-Carter began her career at the Southfield Public Library (MI) where she organized an inventory project to prepare the catalog to go on-line. She was also in charge of Southfield's Young Adult collection and established one of the first Young Adult Advisory Boards in the state.

Before coming to BTPL in 1987, Ms. Kotulis-Carter was City Librarian for the Greenville Public Library (MI).  During her seven-year tenure at Greenville, she put the library on-line for the first time and increased circulation of materials 39%. As Deputy Director of BTPL, Ms. Kotulis-Carter facilitated the library's expansion project in 1988-89, was in charge of the day to day operation of the facility, while working with the department heads, director, library trustees and the Friends of the Library.

Replacing Stephen Kershner, who retired in 1997, Ms. Kotulis-Carter became the second full-time director in the history of the library. The library has been nurtured by past directors Rose Vanstein, Dick Johnston, and Stephen Kershner.

"I hope to have the library continue to flourish under my leadership and to carry it productively into the 21st century."

Previous "Ask the Director" Columns

The Director's question/answer column provides a community-wide forum for your questions about the library and an opportunity for us to respond. Here's are some current and past question/answer columns:

• Fall 2002 -- results of Vision 2002 and the next 5-year plan, Vision 2010.
• Summer 2002 -- millage and bond Proposals.
• Summer 2001 -- the history of the building and its expansions.